Billy Roland

Billy Clifford Roland died Monday, August 10, at his residence in Little River, Texas. The body was cremated.

Billy Roland was born on April 3, 1927 in Greenville, Texas the seventh of eight children of Byron and Lillie Perkins Roland. He married Patsy Dooley on May 26, 1948.

Billy served as a Staff Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps and completed an 18 month tour of duty in China. He received both his BA and MA from Baylor University and served as pastor of churches in Watt, Axtell, McGregor, Austin, and Houston, Texas. Billy received his Ph.D. from The University of Houston and was a professor of psychology at East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas from 1965 until his retirement in 1993. In 2004 he and Patsy moved to Temple, Texas, then to Little River. He was a member of the Dough Rollins Sunday School Class of the First Methodist Church of Commerce.

Billy Roland is preceded in death by one daughter, Deborah Ann Roland Black. He is survived by his wife, two sons, Randy Roland of Rockwall, Texas and David Roland of Little River, Texas, 7 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren, and one brother, M. L. Roland of Denton, Texas.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church of Commerce on Saturday, August 15, 2009.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Alzheimer's Foundation.